The Hogwarts Express rolled towards London with a steady pace cutting through the mountainous countryside like a knife through butter, steam rising from its engine like a smouldering pipe. Within the cabins the temperature was much warmer than that of outside. In one of the cabins sat three girls, one girl with long curly dark brown hair, and the other two with ice blonde hair, one wearing it short the other long. Their kinship was clear however they were somehow separate.
“Are your parents going to be at the station Aurora?” Phaedra asked her smiling evilly.
“Why are yours?” she retorted.
“Yes we should arrange a dinner date or something” she said and the three girls in the compartment burst into laughter. The three girls in question were the most unlikely of friends, daughters of the Blacks, Aurora Black, Phaedra Lestrange and Acacia Malfoy. Their friendship had been forged long before Aurora knew of their kinship and although Phaedra behaved rashly at times she was a fierce friend … and a worse enemy. She had always been led to believe that being sorted into Slytherin was a fate worse then death but her parents had been much better than she had expected on the news of her sorting. In fact her whole family had reacted rather well even though her brother teased her, her parents seemed perfectly at ease with the fact that she was a Slytherin, not quite the reaction she had expected. No the poor reactions had come from extended family members, namely Harry, who seemed to take it worse than anybody else … he took her friendship with his enemies’ little sisters even worse.
She remembered her first evening in Slytherin dungeons, dressing for bed behind her curtains, putting her hair into rollers Phaedra had jumped through her curtains and sat at the bottom of her bed cross legged, looking expectantly at Rori, as if she were a museum exhibition. Acacia, who had shortly followed acted the same way although her fair hair and soft looks seemed to be less intimidating than Phaedras sharp and dark features. When they did speak they informed her how furious their parents would be if they were friends and that they simply had to be friends just to see their parents and sibling’s reactions. All of which were sickeningly predictable … apart from her father who informed her immediately that it was of no consequence to him, her brother shunned her, her brothers friend looked at her pityingly, her twin cousins blatantly ignored her in the hallways but Harry just kept his distance feeling undoubted mixed feelings.
“Some how Phaedra I don’t think that is ever going to happen” Aurora said with a toss of her lovely blonde hair.
“Are you going to visit over the summer? Mother loves the novelty” Phaedra said smoothing down her brown curly hair.
“I’m not sure … you see while my mum and dad were quite alright with my sorting, they are less than pleased at my choice of friends, and even less pleased of me coming to Aunt Bellatrix’s house I’m afraid. I am sure your parents are quite the same” she finished on an apologetic note.
“You know Phaedra it would be pushing it” Acacia said with an inclination of the head, her deceiving blonde curls bouncing slightly with the movement.
“I know but-” she was interrupted as the compartment door opened.
“There you are, sitting with the muggle lover again” a cold voice drawled. Aurora didn’t have to look around to know the voice of Draco Malfoy. While Phaedra and Acacia had taken to her, their brothers and sisters had taken an instant adverse reaction.
“Urgh go away Draco” Acacia moaned allowing her heavy lids to close momentarily, shuttering her brilliant grey eyes.
“Nope, I’ve something to tell you so look at me when I talk to you” he said, Acacia and her friends turned to look at him and predictably the pug nosed bitch was at his side.
“What’s the matter Draco?” Acacia said in her best polite voice.
“Aunt Bella is picking us up from the station mother and father are still on holiday so we shall be staying with them for a few weeks”
“Weeks!!!” Phaedra complained, Acacia looked around at her friend in surprise and hurt forgetting that such indignation was no doubt directed at her elder brother “Does Lulu know?” she asked a mad glint coming to her eyes.
“No” Draco replied rudely and Phaedra turned to Aurora and they shared a look of glee.
“Well allow me to go and inform her … coming Rori?” Phaedra said turning to Aurora.
“Yeah okay” she replied and they left Acacia to her brother and his pug nosed girlfriend, in search of Alludra Lestrange the undoubted ruler of Slytherin house.
“If you find Blaise you have found Lu, even if you can’t see her” Phaedra informed her, her dark, almost Slytherin Green, eyes flashed in amusement. It was the worlds worst kept secret that the cousins Malfoy and Lestrange hated one another with a vehement passion, Aurora mused on whether this was because they both vied for domination or not, one thing was sure she could feel the excitement radiating from her friend as they made their way down the length of the train to find her sister.
“What do you mean??” came a dreadful shriek from a compartment ahead and Phaedra cast a disappointed look at Aurora before running ahead to find her sister who was shrieking … someone had told her and it had not been her, if it was Ophiuchus he was dead, Aurora surmised. Aurora ran to keep up with her friend and they eventually found themselves in a compartment with all three Lestrange’s, Zabini and Nott, both of whom stared at Aurora as if she had just landed from Mars.
“Ophiuchus did you tell her?” Phaedra positively pleaded with a tall, dark and stangely handsome brooding boy who was standing in the compartment, his kinship with Alludra was not instantly recognisable, nor his kinship with his younger sister … one thing was for sure though he was a Black, he shared more looks with Alphie than he did with any of his family … in looks alone, his eyes were darker than Alphie’s and greener, nor was he as good natured looking and without the welcoming presence, but he did have presence only it was a menacing one.
“So its true?” Alludra raged … until she saw the Black “What is that doing here?” she asked and the two boys her age laughed in appreciation, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott, the reluctant ally.
“Shut up Lu, she’s as pure as you or I” Ophiuchus said standing up for the vulnerable girl.
“Oh so you fancy the blood traitor do you? I’ll have to tell mother … that is before I commit matricide for the great injustice she has performed. I’m telling you now I am not putting up with him” she sat down on the bench her arms crossed obstinately.
“I do not fancy Aurora Black as you well know Lu, and I like Draco about as much as you do, but we have to put up with him” Ophiuchus reasoned with her a lock of his blue black hair falling into his face.
“I don’t have to do anything … what are you doing here anyway?” she sneered at Aurora “Don’t think I don’t know its been you who’s been getting Phaedra into trouble, because I do” she said turning her menacing eyes on Aurora.
“Actually no Lu it isn’t Rori’s fault, I get myself into trouble” Phaedra said instantly.
“Oh yeah how did you both manage that detention then if you were alone? Tell me that then?” she challenged her sister.
“Because Rori transfigured Pansy Parkinson into a pig and then McGonagall started shouting at us and I said that dad was going to kill her” Phaedra said and Alludra smiled her eyes burning like ice.
“It was you then?” Alludra said mirth dancing in her ordinarily blank cool grey eyes, Nott and Zabini grinned.
“Yes” Aurora replied nonchalantly.
“And I suppose it was you who tried to launch my cousin down a staircase was it?” she said again, her eyes looking at Aurora hungrily.
“It was Phaedra’s idea, only I had the guts to do it, we got detention with Snape for that one”
“There seems to be a lot of ‘we’ going on when it is only one person perpetrating, don’t you think?” Alludra said her dark eyes perusing Aurora.
“Phaedra does her fair amount I can assure you”
“And what does precious Alphie say to this then?” Alludra said, excitement in her eyes.
“Nothing, my siblings and cousins don’t speak to me at school, in case you haven’t noticed”
“Well Harry and ‘Vivien-Rose’ don’t speak to you” Phaedra said putting on an extra posh voice while intoning Vivien-Rose’s name.
“Well that might have something to do with the fanged Frisbee” she pointed out and a look of comprehension fell on her friends face
“Oh yeah forgot about that” she said and she giggled while Aurora frowned slightly.
“What Fanged Frisbee?” Ophiuchus asked hardly able to hide his anticipation
“The one thrown at Vivien Potter on her way to Potions” Phaedra offered him and he frowned.
“You hit your own cousin with a fanged Frisbee?” he asked looking at Aurora with new eyes … and hardly unsympathetic ones either.
“Well Phaedra wanted to do it but she didn’t have the balls” she said flicking her eyes towards the brunette.
“I did so have the gumption, you stole it out of my hands” her friend tried to defend herself.
“Whatever, it’s not as if I’m too proud of myself” she said putting her hand up nonchalantly. It was clear at that point that Aurora Black had been grossly underestimated.
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“Urgh I cant deal with her” Harry moaned slamming the compartment door behind him as he sunk down on the bench next to his startled friends, well his girl friends anyway.
“Who?” A girl with blonde hair and blue eyes asked him … her question was answered pretty quickly.
“You’d think she was the minister for magic the way she goes on” he said closing his brilliant green eyes for a moment, and without another word needing to be uttered the compartment door was opened to reveal a fuming Hermione Granger. The relationship between Harry and Hermione as prefects was a little strained to say the least.
“Don’t walk away from me when I am talking to you Potter” her bushy hair seemed to crackle with electricity.
“Look Hermione, I really don’t have the time to go over and over and over this with you, she is my little sister so I let her go” Harry said in that nonchalant way which annoyed even his loyal friends.
“Oh nice to see nepotism isn’t as dead as first believed” she said sarcastically.
“I don’t know what you mean by that, if you want to use big words know what they mean first Granger. I didn’t let her get a job or anything I just turned a blind eye. And anyway, those girls bully her so I overlooked it. If you have a problem please log it somewhere else because I seriously cant be bothered with this constant nagging. I bloody hope you don’t make Head Girl Granger” he said presumptively, he was presuming of course that he would make head boy.
“Well I hope you don’t make Head boy Potter, you arrogant know it all” she said narrowing her eyes to mere slits.
“I’m a know it all … oh I’m sorry but did I hear that right Granger just called me a know it all. Erin please tell me I am not imagining this” he said turning to the blonde girl who raised her blue eyes to his for a moment but lowered them again, hoping not to incur the wrath of Hermione who was about the only person on the earth that could make Erin Adams shut the hell up.
“Oh shut up Potter” Hermione said her hands resolutely on her hips.
“Don’t tell me to shut up Granger, you shut up” he retorted childishly, whats more he knew it was childish.
“Oh what a witty riposte Potter most fitting of your intellect” she said narrowing her dark brown eyes in malice.
“Oh both of you shut up, I can’t be dealing with this” Aoife said standing up from her seat glowering at her friends who liked nothing more than to war with one another. The fact of the matter was that they were far too like one another to get along.
“Oh whatever … I’ll see you next year Potter … then again I severely doubt it, I have bigger fish to fry than you” she said and swept away her long bushy hair the last thing to go out of sight.
“I’m a know it all?” Harry repeated indignantly sinking back down onto his seat, he took his Prefect badge off with feeling “Well at least one things good perhaps I wont have to spend more time with her this summer than is absolutely necessary” he said referring to the summer days he had to spend cleaning Grimmauld Place with the annoying little bitch.
“Oh please get it out your system now Harry, because you’re just going to obsess about it all the way to London, and quite frankly I can’t be doing with it either” Erin said her voice flat and bored, she rolled her eyes in a reflecting manner to her mood.
“Oh she is such a bitch, just because I overlooked Alphie and Frankie pranking Jemima Vincent and that Romilda ‘Vain’ while Vivien stood behind them … some might say helping” he looked at the door “But I say she was observing” he said and Aoife shook her head.
“She was not observing she was probably masterminding knowing Vivien” she told Harry who shrugged providing the girls with another insight into why Granger hated him as much as she did.
“Never mind girls, ignore him, we all know he’s just grumpy because Hannah’s dumped him and run off with Ernie McMillan” a girl with mid-length brown hair said smirking to herself. Her name was Natalie Sedgwick, one of Harry’s best friends along with Erin Adams, Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas. Aoife was his friend too but she didn’t count she was like his cousin, the other girl who used to hang around with them was Ginny Weasley, but he wasn’t ever very close to Ginny, and she had been spending a lot more of her time with Granger and Lovegood in any event. If it was just Lovegood he would talk to her, after all Harry loved Luna like his little baby pet, but Granger could just get to France.
“She has not run off with him shut up Natalie” Harry said irritating her by using her full name, she went by Nat at all times.
“But you admit she has dumped you” Erin added looking at Nat conspiratorially
“Shut up Erin the whole bloody school knows Hannah dumped me … and you seem awfully pleased about it” he said to her and she frowned before closing her book and raising her eyes to him.
“I am not bloody pleased about it Fiona, in fact I am really bloody annoyed by it, she’s much more of a bitch than I ever gave her credit for … there are you happy?” she said looking to see whether he registered the use of yet another female name in her address of him.
“Oh get lost none of you know what I’m going through, where’s Dean?” Harry said grumpily, it was most out of character, Harry was hardly ever grumpy.
“With Megan” Nat offered.
“Seamus?” he asked hopefully looking at Aoife who just avoided his penetrating stare.
“With Dee Dee” Erin said and Harry sighed.
“Course he fucking is” he said sulking heavily.
“Harry language … come on I’m going to go and see Anthony maybe you can talk to him” Nat said smoothing her dark hair giving Harry a sympathetic look.
“I might want to find Demetrius, he’s a much better listener” Harry said.
“Urquhart? What would you want with him … come on Tony’s good” Nat said unable to disguise her distaste at the mention of Demetrius Urquhart.
“What’s wrong with Demetrius? You are forgetting that I grew up with both of them Natalie … all of them, Goldstein’s and Urquhart’s alike” he said clearly annoyed with her.
“Alright I just don’t like him very much, I think he has the eyes of a sex offender” she said and Erin and Aoife collapsed into fits of laughter.
“What?” Harry said incredulously over Erin and Aoife laughing.
“Don’t be like that I was just saying. I’m going to see Anthony are you coming?” she asked him.
“No he’ll be on his own no doubt and you two will just suck face for hours on end, I’ll stay here and hide from Granger and annoy the lovely Erin” he said smiling suddenly at Erin who just rolled her eyes … Harry annoying her really meant just that.
“See you later guys … be good Harry” Nat said placing a quick kiss on his cheek before leaving.
“You know she doesn’t mean it about Hannah, she was just annoyed by your sulking behaviour … it’s annoying all of us by the way” Aoife added at the end of her sentence and placed herself beside of Harry, Erin on the other side.
“I know cheer up Harry” Erin said leaning her head on his shoulder and intertwining her left hand with his right in what was obviously intended as a supportive gesture and was taken as such, Harry squeezed her hand.
“I kind of want to cry” he admitted and Aoife was taken back by his honesty “I mean come on, I loved her, we’d been going out since the idea first went about that you should ask a girl to join you in Hogsmeade. I just feel like she’s been looking at him all the time we were together, what had been going on in Hufflepuff Chambers? Somehow I don’t think we were as exclusive as I thought we were” he said miserably.
“Oh you don’t know that Harry” Erin squeezed his hand.
“Yeah but just by guessing it makes sense”
“Let’s not think about it eh?” Erin said and Aoife nodded vehemently as the look on Harry’s face began to worry her.
“I just … you are going to hate me for saying what I want to say right now” he said a somewhat sneaky grin crept across his face. Erin rolled her eyes, she knew what was coming.
“Go ahead” Aoife said knowing instantly she would regret it.
“I just want the prettiest girl in this school to make one of the biggest mistakes of her life”
“What and let you shag her?” Erin said incredulously and he grinned “Harry” she pushed him and Aoife laughed involuntarily but her look was scandalised “I’m unavailable for your uses” Erin said and he shook his head at her. No matter how beautiful she was, he would never go with her and she would never go with him. All good platonic relationships are based on the premise that the two involved in the relationship have never nor will ever make love to one another.
“Well only Lolly Clark comes near to me … and in case you haven’t noticed she is currently showing your little cousin a good time on his evenings” she said and Harry groaned, he had forgotten about Alphie seeing Lolly.
“Oh shit … so she is, she always kind of fancied me as well … that’s that one out of the window, he always gets the cream of the crop” he looked out of the window into the murky glen “Fucking summer I hope it isn’t like this in London” he said sinking back into his sulk.
“It won’t be, come on cheer up, do you really want your mum to know what’s happened at Kings Cross?” Erin asked and a slightly panicked look came onto his face “Didn’t think so and your sulk is a sure fire way mate” Erin said looking at him pointedly.
“Aunty Lily will pull her up in front of everyone you know she will, after all you are her perfect little Harry who wouldn’t hurt a fly aren’t you” Aoife added superciliously … Harry knew it was dig.
“I couldn’t hurt a fly it’s true, mummy is the only one who sees me for who I truly am …” he said with an oh so innocent look dawning on his face “… A saint” he batted his eyelids at Erin who just shook her head.
“Oh the steps towards canonisation are fast Harry” Aoife said clearly sceptical at his sudden sainthood.
“They are Aoife they are … right girls what are we going to do for five hours?” he said in a bored voice as the compartment door opened quietly but suddenly.
“Wotcher Harry” a cheery voice said and they turned around to see the bubblegum pink haired auror standing in the doorway her eyes alight in worry “It’s okay Mimi, it’s only Aoife and Harry’s friend, we can go in here” she said to and unseen person, of course the person being named they didn’t have to guess who she was talking to and soon said person came into view causing shock to ripple through the cabin.
“What the hell happened to you?” Harry said his eyes wide as Miranda Black walked into the compartment her face as white as driven snow and wine red liquid issuing from her mouth, a clear liquid gushing equally as vigorously from her eyes.
“She seems to have lost her teeth” Tonks said closing the compartment door behind her and pulling down the blind for privacy.
“Lost her teeth? It isn’t like they are bloody keys or anything, how can she loose her teeth? Uncle Sirius is going to go mental” Miranda tucked her black hair behind her ears her face seemed now disfigured her apparent tooth loss causing her small delicate jaw line to be even smaller.
“Who did this to you!?!” Aoife demanded of her as she cradled her cheeks in her hands searching Mimi’s eyes. Her small ruby lips wobbled and her electric blue eyes wavered for a moment before hardening in defiance, she wasn’t going to tell anyone any time soon.
“Okay Aoife hun” Tonks said and Aoife narrowed her eyes for a moment before stepping back from Tonks “The only thing we need to do right now is hide this until she gets home, we don’t need a scene and it could cause more trouble than you think” she said pointedly.
“She’s my cousin” Aoife protested.
“And mine” Tonks told her and Aoife had to admit she had more of a claim than she did.
“Come on Aoife, let’s go and find Alphie” Erin said suddenly.
“No!!” Harry said and stood in front of both girls “You can’t go and find Alphie, Alphie will make sure no one leaves this train without a cavity search, a lot more trouble than Uncle Sirius will cause when he finds out” and they all had to agree.
“Okay but we need to find out who did this to her, they aren’t getting away with it” Aoife said and in a brave move Miranda drew attention to her left forearm and ran her finger down the length of it in a swirling pattern.
“What do you mean Mimi? A deatheater did this to you?” Harry asked and Tonks ears perked too, Miranda nodded but held her hand as if indicating a small persons height “Mini Deatheater?” Harry asked again with a sinking feeling, he didn’t like this version of charades.
“Anyway as I was saying he is completely ignoring me now and I’ve done all I can” a voice said clearly from outside the compartment. They all looked at one another and held their breath in hope that the person outside wouldn’t hear them within.
“But that doesn’t explain why you aren’t eating. I mean he refused you … you can’t seriously think it’s because you are lacking in the looks stake … go on have a cauldron cake” another voice said and their eyes went wider. This could get very very messy.
“No, I’m not hungry and I don’t like cauldron cakes in any event Frankie” the girls voice said again.
“Just tell me what he said to you” he said desperately, Harry could only guess how long he had been trying to get it out of her … In fact they had all been trying to find out why Aurora had quit eating as much as she was used.
“No, he didn’t say anything”
“I bet he did the wee shite, I’ll kill him either way Rori, so you’d better tell me what he did to you or said to you to make you want to look like this … I mean fucking hell lassie, it just isn’t attractive” the boy called Frankie said again.
“Don’t discriminate against me because I’m skinny, some girls are skinny, some aren’t … I’m skinny”
“But you want to be skinnier that’s the problem”
“I don’t have a problem there is no problem … now please leave me alone, I need to find Harry”
“He’ll be in there that’s where he was earlier with Adams and Sedgwick, but god knows whit they’re doing with the curtains down … do you want to find out?” he said his voice full of excitement, Erin could just imagine the look on his face. Frankie Campbell equalled Terrorist.
“What if he’s … doing something” Aurora faltered and Frankie laughed loudly before sliding the compartment door open his laughter dissipating immediately at the sight of Miranda.
“What the hell …” it was the first time any of them had seen the boy truly speechless, but it hadn’t been the first time in his life.
“Ssssshhh, get the hell in” Harry said and dragged Rori in before encouraging Frankie to join her, he wasn’t about to attempt to drag Francis Campbell anywhere, he had a funny feeling he might not appreciate it.
“What happened to you?” Frankie asked and every single one of them dithered on whether to tell him at all. The third worse person to tell what had happened amongst those on the train was Frankie just after Aurora “What?” he asked somewhat clueless as to why they were all peering at them warily “If I promise not to go out of here and wage war, will you let us know what happened?” he said placatingly raising his hands in defeat.
“You both have to promise not to do anything about it” Tonks said.
“Fine … just tell me why my sister has blood dripping off her chin” Aurora demanded and Tonks relented, and informed them of what she knew. Aurora grasped and Frankie’s frown deepened with every syllable “Mini Deatheater” Aurora mused and Miranda nodded and looked at her with a meaningful look “You mean … I know who did this” Aurora said pointing at herself and looked down at her own hands sadly.
“Who?” and Auroras lip quivered “Was it Alludra?” she asked Mimi and her sister shook her head, Aurora looked surprised but solemn “Malfoy?” Miranda shook her head again looking at her sister with meaningful eyes and Aurora could feel the bile rise in her throat “Ophiuchus?” she asked almost hopefully and with a sure and slow shake of her head Aurora felt like she had just cut her in half “Phaedra did this to you?” she asked almost incredulously and Miranda gave her another wide eyed insistent look “And Acacia?” she asked dismally and she nodded her head Rori sank down onto the bench opposite her.
“Where the hell were you?” Harry demanded of her, his voice inappropriately harsh as it turned out as tears formed in her bright grey eyes.
“With Frankie and Alphie … I left them about an hour ago because I wanted to sit with Alphie for a while. They were being unsympathetic to my plight and my unwillingness to prank Vivien” her voice faltered and she wiped away a slowly forming tear “I cant believe they could do this to you” she said and Harry felt sorry for her, she truly didn’t believe they were capable of this, they were supposed to be her friends.
“Come on Rori, it’ll be alright” Harry said and for the first time in what seemed like a very long time Harry embraced her in a hug which hadn’t been forced or part of common courtesy.
“Mum and dad will kill me for having them as friends, and letting this happen to Miranda. I should never have left them” she said miserably.
“Oh don’t beat your self up about this as well Rori” Frankie said and stroked Miranda’s black affectionately “You are really going to have to hide this from your dad girls, at least until you get home” he said wisely, Harry thought it was strange that he knew exactly what they had been thinking.
“Are you not coming to ours?” Aurora asked interestedly.
“Nah I’m going home” he said and even though they never knew the ins and outs of it both sisters looked at him pleadingly “Don’t worry I’m not going to hell, it’s only home” he said “Anyway I said to Bernie I would meet her at Central Station” Aurora smirked at the suggestion of him meeting Bernadette “What are you smirking at? Get your mind out of the gutter she’s the only friend I have in Glasgow” he said and she still smirked but now secretly as she buried her head up against Harry’s chest.
“Anyway, he’s right girls, you need to keep this quiet until you get your dad and aunt Viv home … we’ll clean her up and perhaps you could just stay quiet until you get home, don’t even open your mouth for a moment … resist that temptation to smile” Tonks said knowing how smiley a little girl she was, her delicate lips pouted involuntarily.
“That might be hard” Rori commented and she nodded.
“It will be hard, but anything worth doing is never easy is it?”
“Like splitting up my parents” Aoife said under her breath but it wasn’t unheard.
“Anyway guys I’ll see you later” Tonks said a blush creeping on her cheeks “Make sure she’s all clean and calm before we get to London” she said and left the compartment.
“Way to go Aoife” Harry criticised her.
“What? She is Harry”
“She isn’t, the idea is preposterous”
“Right well next time she is with my dad watch her guaranteed you’ll see it too” she said and that was clearly the end of that conversation.
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Meanwhile parents and families gathered in Kings Cross Station, on platform 9 and three quarters just waiting for their children to arrive for the summer.
“Oh here comes the train” Sirius whispered to Addie as she sat on his hip sulking and playing with his hair.
“Choo choo!” Ella said excitedly pointing at the oncoming train she positively bounced up and down in her buggy.
“Daddy why can’t I have a pink hair band” Addie said pouting.
“What?” he asked turning to look at her momentarily.
“Well Ella has a pink hair band and it doesn’t suit her, but it would suit me and I want one” she said pouting.
“Oh well we’ll have get you one then wont we” he said looking at her incredulously, she smiled “But then again there is that hitch”
“What hits?” she asked babyishly.
“Well the hitch is that you already have ten pink hair bands, each one no more different from the last one” he said through gritted teeth as he smiled at someone in the distance.
“I want mummy you are mean”
“I’m mean?” Sirius asked her incredulously “You go and try the pink hair band thing with your mum and come back and tell me who’s mean” he said and she looked like she was thinking for a minute before she shook her head and Sirius smiled “Exactly … no more pink hair bands”
“I love Pink hair bands” a voice said and Sirius eyes were drawn to the stunning looking Ivy with Dervla holding her hand … and wearing a pink hair band.
“Even Dervla has one” Addie said suffering from short term memory loss when it came to anything pink that she happened to want. Sirius rolled his eyes and smiled as Remus smirked slightly looking at Addie with his piercing gaze … it was so piercing that she began to giggle at her own silliness … he could somehow do that.
“The train is in” he said as the scarlet stem train drew to a halt on the platform. Charlie forsook his mother who tried in vain to chase after him as he ran down the platform to find Vivien no doubt.
“Charlus Potter!!” Lily screamed after him as Genevieve laughed openly and Ivy smiled.
“Hello Charlie” A sweet looking girl stood in front of him and he bowled her over … nearly, as he hugged her.
“Where’s Harry … who’s this?” Charlie asked looking at Ernie McMillan.
“A friend, how are you?” she asked smiling at him as Lily caught up with him.
“Don’t run away from me Charlie, not now, it isn’t safe … hello Hannah dear how are you?” Lily smiled at her and Hannah Abbot had the decency to look mildly ashamed of herself.
“I’m fine Mrs Potter”
“Oh enough of that, how long have you and my Harry been going out now, I’m sure you can call me Lily” she said and Hannah looked at Ernie who got the message loud and clear and left, both were now certain Harry had not told anyone what had happened “So I expect we’ll be seeing a lot of you during the summer” Lily asked and Hannah’s blue eyes went wide as she looked over her shoulder. Lily followed her gaze “Look here comes Harry now” she said and was surprised at the way Hannah was acting.
“Er …yeah, anyway I cant keep my mum and dad waiting, nice to see you again … see you Charlie” she said quickly and got away from there as fast as she could passing Harry on the way leaving Lily feeling very puzzled indeed by the look Harry gave her. Vivien passed her mother with a wave and ran towards James at the end of the platform full speed he was already standing with the twins Elizabeth and Jack.
“Hi mum … hi Charlie where’s dad, Ella and Rena?” Harry asked and Lily pointed to further down the platform where James was now hugging Vivien looking more gangly than Lily had last seen her and Jack stood way below her height, Elizabeth had taken to hugging Remus. They watched while Genevieve hugged Aurora firmly before her eyes fell on her son who was whole heartedly kissing a girl of similar height and very slight with shoulder length chocolate brown hair held back by a …pink hairband, her beautiful and dewy skin was like milky coffee, she was a very beautiful girl and no one was in any doubts that he had struck the jackpot with Louisa Clark.
“Looks like Alphie’s been caught” Lily said with a laugh Viv’s eyes had gone as large as galleons “Harry what’s happened darling, I just saw Hannah and she was acting very strangely, have you had a falling out?” Lily asked feeling a little silly as in the background she could here Genevieve screech at Sirius to go and do something.
“Er … yeah a falling out” he said as a girl with light brown hair sauntered up behind him and touched him on the back, Harry turned and made eye contact with a girl whos eyes he had last met during the sorting ceremony six years ago, nearly seven.
“Have a good summer Harry” the girl said her sea green eyes smiled at him before her mouth did and she ran off with her friends before Harry could even reply.
“Who was that?” Lily asked bringing Harry out from his daze.
“Er … Sasha Otlowski, Ravenclaw” he said watching her walk away her long light brown hair swishing in rhythm with her hips. Harry turned to his mum with a dazed smiled on his face.
“Oh god so like your father … come on he’s waiting” Lily said shooing Harry towards his father who had clocked the brunette.
“Who’s the girl? Does Hannah know … where is my little han han?” James asked
“Your little han han went home and she doesn’t need to know anything because there isn’t anything to know which may concern her … anyway why did you say it like that?”
“Well she’s a much prettier girl than Hannah” James said before hugging Harry to welcome him home.
“She is isn’t she?” Harry said a silly smile crossing his face.
“Haven’t you told them Harry?” Jack asked and was shut up immediately by a joint look from both Vivien and Harry.
“He has told me he and Hannah have had a falling out but that is their business … are we all here?” Lily asked looking around at her children and James, she counted them and they were all there, Clementine was presently standing with Remus and Ivy however talking away “Okay once Tangerine has stopped talking to Remus we can go home. Oh James look what you’ve done I’m calling my beautiful little baby after a fruit”
“She always was Lily” James said as their children laughed, Lily never called them by James nicknames
“Hmmm quite …what’s wrong with Miranda?” Lily asked as Miranda stood tight lipped beside Sirius looking very white.
“She didn’t travel very well mum” Harry said cutting off any of the others who would just raise more speculation “I need to go and say bye to Natalie and Erin” Harry said “Don’t you all have friends to say goodbye to?” he said as Alphie eventually made his way over to his fuming mother who was being restrained by Sirius. Ivy walked over to Lily with Clementine.
“You know Lily she has a bare faced cheek” Ivy said and she laughed as Jack answered Harry’s question.
“I said bye to mine on the train”
“And me” Elizabeth said in the same tone of voice.
“Oh how clever of you both” he said to Jack and Elizabeth and left them to go over to where everyone was saying goodbye.
“Hey guess what Natalie” Harry said walking up to his friends who were saying their farewells.
“What?”
“The best looking girl in the school just told me to have a good summer”
“Oh Harry, I’m right here we haven’t spoken yet” she said but forced him into a hug “Have a good summer, I’m going to stay with Anthony for a fortnight so I expect we shall see one another … but grab Dean and come and hang out one day … or whatever” she said to him and he smiled.
“Who told you to have a good summer?” Dean asked walking over.
“Sasha Otlowski” he said and Dean seemed impressed.
“Yeah Megan and Dee Dee said they heard her and Lisa Turpin chatting in the toilets about how you’d split up with Hannah now and that she should do what she had planned”
“She’s been planning it … brilliant she doesn’t want to be just friends then” he said and Seamus laughed “I suppose your girlfriends hate me”
“No Sasha Otlowski, that’s who they hate right now, they have full faith that you wont fall into bed with her being such a nice boy and all and you’ve just split up with Hannah and it might hurt her feelings and you would never want to do that would you Harry?” Seamus said and Harry grinned “Harry isn’t that Sasha talking to your uncle?” Seamus asked and drew Harry’s attention to Sasha who was indeed talking to Sirius and Genevieve.
“Hmmm, yeah that’s her … I wonder why though”
“She lives in a Blackbird house that’s why Harry” Erin informed him peaking Harry’s interest, he thought he’d been to all of those houses.
“She does? Since when?”
“Since forever, not everyone knows though, I just know because, I’m special and Erin knows all” Erin said trying to act all mystical.
“Well I never knew” he said musingly and ignoring his friends silliness.
“On a serious note, on the note of Hannah Abbot, I can think of worse things than hurting her feelings at the moment” Erin said leaning her head on Deans shoulder to his ultimate annoyance.
“Like what?” Harry asked her and her eyes lit up with mirth.
“Lav lav” she said quietly looking over Harry’s shoulder before catching his eyes with what he supposed was supposed to be a meaningful stare.
“What?”
“Hi Harry” someone said from behind him and he sighed discreetly before turning to see Lavender Brown her blonde hair curled giving her an angelic appearance today … everyone knew she was anything but.
“Hi Lavender” he said uncertainly and she batted her eyelashes and flicked her hair.
“Harry your mum wants you … Hi Lavender” Debbie wrapped her arms around Harry’s waist and jumped up to lean her head on his shoulder.
“Hi Almerin” she said and Erin scrunched up her eyes
“Actually Lavender my name is Erin, not fucking Almerin … did you just make that up?” she said keeping up the sweetness and fake cordiality.
“That doesn’t really matter does it, it’s not my fault your parents never gave you a proper name” she said snottily.
“Harry! Harry come on now, do you want your dinner or not!” Lily called over noticing his discomfort from as far away as she was.
“Yeah Harry do you want your tea or not?” Erin asked him playing her devils advocate role beautifully.
“Yeah … well have a good summer Lavender … you behave yourself and I’ll see you in two weeks” he said turning round to Erin who kissed him on the cheek looking at Lavender all the while watching her face turn like milk next to a fire.
“See you in a fortnight now hurry up before your mum bursts a blood vessel” she said trying to push him away.
“No one last hug” he said and lifted her from her feet causing her to squeal
“Harry … oh Lavender you just cant control him” she said to Lavender flippantly before pulling on Harry’s hair.
“Ow bitch” he let her go laughing loudly “Catch yeh kids” Harry said with a wave and walked back to his mum and dad who were now surrounded by his brothers and sisters. He peered over at his aunt and uncle who’s suspicion had arisen over Miranda’s silence and the light in the train station did Rori’s weight no favours.
“What’s happened to Aurora? She looks ill” Lily said her voice was racked with worry for her very frail looking god daughter.
“I think she is mum … come on we’re starving, we’ve been on that train since eleven” Vivien moaned.
“You aren’t starving you are hungry … you don’t know the meaning of starving” Lily bit back at her daughter who had the decency to look mildly ashamed at her childishness.
“Yeah mum … sorry”
“Looks like Rori has been starving, you know what is wrong with Miranda?” James asked being someone who let very little pass him by and knew Harry was diverting attention from it.
“Don’t know what you mean dad” Harry said nervously “Come on we are dead hungry” he said using one of Erin’s well known habits of using the word ‘dead’ as opposed to ‘really’.
“Alright alright, lets hit the road kids” James said and with a quick wave over to the other side of the platform, as Ivy had done earlier, they departed into muggle London’s main train station … Kings Cross. Harry cringed as his dad took his mothers hand walking through the train station and he wasn’t alone he was just the most vocal. As they exited and arrived at the car they were firm in the belief that it would be the usual first night back, quiet and calm … how wrong they were.
A/N: A much longer chapter. I have decided to post this chapter without so much as one review for my last chapter ... I dont think people are going to like this story at all. I might just bin it. Reviews are part of common courtesy you know, I am taking the time to write it and besides I like to know who's reading my stories, because I respond to all of my reviews and I love hearing from you all. Please, if you are going to read ... review also xx
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